17 singers acapella
Married couple, Holly & Dave, both pianists, have entertained the community for decades.
Halsey Holt began playing the violin at age ten and continued her studies in college, graduating from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Music Education. In addition to raising four darling children with her husband, Mark, Ms. Holt enjoys playing with the Ensign Symphony Orchestra and especially loves teaching her private music students.
The Gardner family enjoys performing together. They have performed in the Assembly Hall, Concerts in the Park, Pike Place, and various community events. All of the children began their instrument study at age three or four.
Some performing highlights include Adam (14) and Jarom (12) performing at the National Reflections Exhibition in Washington D.C., Rachel (11) touring Russia with Rocky Mountain Strings, Joshua (9) participating in Salt Lake’s Families Making Music Series, and Josh and Melodie touring with the Tabernacle Choir (Josh) and Orchestra at Temple Square (Melodie). Robbie (7), Gabe (5), and Hannah (14 months) complete the family.
The purpose of Gardner Strings is to inspire and bring joy through music.
Small ensemble combines piano, strings, and woodwinds with a group of performers that have each played professionally as individuals. Featuring: Rylie Roney, Melinda McDonald, Amy McOmber and Corban Thompson.
The story of the Nativity is performed by various talented Chinese soloists.
Howie McOmber has been the artistic director of Small Hands on Art for 26 years directing and choreographing children’s theater in Bellevue, Issaquah, Snoqualmie Valley and Lake Washington School districts. This is his third time performing his Nativity Ballet and the first time at the festival of the Nativity. Howie states, “Dance is a form of communication; I hope this piece brings the Nativity story to your hearts in a new way revealing insights into the characters’ lives, and communicates new understanding from this timeless story told in dance.”
The Manning Family perform songs you may have heard before, but in new ways you won’t forget. Using a variety of ethnic and traditional instruments (including ukulele, tenor guitar, penny whistle, and concertina), this musical family fuses ancient and modern tradition as they explore the beauty of music.
The group consists of 16-year-old Faith, 18-year-old AJ, and their older brothers, Logan, and Eli. They have performed together around the Puget Sound area for the past 9 years (often with their father, Bill), during which time they have been known as The Moone Family Minstrels, The Ship’s Musicians, and Lightly Salted, among others. More recently, they’ve combined their talents with another young musician to form RKO and The Ookies.
35 Children– vocalists, fluetes, handbells, hand drums
The Jubilant Ringers is one of four handbell choirs at Grace Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Washington. The 2017-2018 group includes six talented youth ranging from grade 9 up to college freshmen who have each demonstrated a long term commitment to ringing handbells with a high degree of musicality. Consistent with our church’s mission statement, “God’s heart. Our hands. grace in ACTION”, a goal of the Jubilant Ringers is to share God’s blessing of music with everyone, whether it be with our congregation on Sunday mornings, at events in our local region, or by touring outside of our region.
In recent years, the group has travelled internationally to Japan, Korea, and Canada. This summer, the group is planning a trip to share their music with audiences in Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
Specializing in sacred music as diverse as classical, art song, African-American spirituals, and Appalachian laments, sacred tenor-baritone Kim Cooney has sung as a guest artist at some 1,000 worship, memorial, concert and theatre events from Canada to Mexico, Hawaii to New Zealand, Ireland to Brazil (2017), S.F. to St. Louis, L.A. to Atlanta and District of Columbia. Theater roles include Ewert (Music Man), Freddy (My Fair Lady), Head Chef (Cinderella), Tommy (Brigadoon), Frank (Annie Get Your Gun) and Grimwig (Oliver!).Operetta roles include Pirelli (Sweeney Todd), Old Deuteronomy (Cats), First Yeomen (Yeomen of the Guard), and scenes from 1776, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Jeykll & Hyde. Opera roles: Yukuside (Madama Butterfly), Grenvil understudy (La Traviata), Don Curzio (Figaro), beggar (Cavalleria Rusticana), Parpignol (La Boheme), Sciarrone (Tosca) and Father (Hansel & Gretel).
He has sung the U.S., Canadian and Israeli anthems at professional sports events, state political conventions and other high-profile community events, and his Star-Spangled Banner set to Londonderry Aire for Irish- American events.
Concert solo work includes Handel (Messiah), Haydn (Creation), and Mendelssohn (If With All Your Hearts, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, It Is Enough), Bach (Sheep May Safely Graze), and Dvorak (Going Home, Song to the Moon/Song to the Sun).
In 2016, Cooney was soloist for an international D-Day Commemoration and in some two dozen worship services of Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Church of Ireland basilicas, cathedral and historic parishes in Western Ireland and the Isle of Man. In 2017 he sang in several of the most well-known Protestant and Catholic cathedrals of eastern coastal Brazil, and in homeless shelters, addiction recovery centers, soup kitchens, basilicas and cathedrals, museums and historic sites across the American Southwest and North Central Great Plains states.”
Cheryl Pietromonaco playing piano and organ for decades for many different churches: Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Protestant, Non-Denominational Christian, Episcopalian, and Mormon. She’s played at weddings, funerals, private parties, conventions, and all kinds of events. “My associations with many different churches have expanded and enriched my faith over the years in ways it never would have if I’d been going to just one church all my life. And all the special occasions I have participated in over the years have brought much joy into my life, and I hope, happiness and comfort for those who hear my music.”
Stephanie, Laurie and Kina have been singing together since 2005. Amy Tait, their talented accompanist, joined the group five years ago. Why they perform? “It is a special joy for us at Christmastime to worship our Savior through music.”
The Manning Family perform songs you may have heard before, but in new ways you won’t forget. Using a variety of ethnic and traditional instruments (including ukulele, tenor guitar, penny whistle, and concertina), this musical family fuses ancient and modern tradition as they explore the beauty of music.
The group consists of 16-year-old Faith, 18-year-old AJ, and their older brothers, Logan, and Eli. They have performed together around the Puget Sound area for the past 9 years (often with their father, Bill), during which time they have been known as The Moone Family Minstrels, The Ship’s Musicians, and Lightly Salted, among others. More recently, they’ve combined their talents with another young musician to form RKO and The Ookies.
The First Presidency invites Church members and their friends to participate in the First Presidency’s Christmas devotional broadcast.
The program, originating from the Conference Center, will include Christmas messages by General Authorities and General Officers of the Church.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will provide the music.
Beginning in Bellevue
back in the 60’s, the legacy lives on now with a Sing Along, accompanied by a choir & and orchestra led by renowned local conductor, Alexei Girsh.
Soprano Vivian Evans studied music, voice, piano and acting in New York and Seattle. She has performed to acclaim in the US and Europe in widely diverse repertoire, including opera, art songs, musical theatre, cabaret, jazz and world music. Vivian has been praised for the lyrical beauty of her voice, her mastery of repertoire in many languages, and the compelling dramatic quality of her performances.
Seattle singing sensations, and father-daughter duo known as Claire & the Crosbys will
perform Monday, December 4th at 7pm at the Bellevue Festival of the Nativity. Recently, daughter Claire and dad Dave Crosby performed for the 4th time on the Ellen Degeneres Show after Dave made a recent run on the Voice, and numerous viral videos on Youtube.
Claire and the Crosby family agreed without hesitation to perform free for this local Christmas venue. “We love the Festival of the Nativity. We go every year. We just love how beautiful it is and how it makes you feel when you walk in there and see everything,” says Dave Crosby.
Last year, after Claire’s videos were so popular on their Youtube channel, Dave says, “I thought [the Nativity] would be a really cool place to film our “Silent Night” video, so they were kind enough to let us do that, so it’s just something we’ve made a tradition of every year.” Across Facebook & Youtube, the video has received 3.2 million views.
Learn More
- Claire Performing Silent Night last year, filmed in Children’s room @ Bellevue Festival of the Nativity
- Crosby’s Performing 4th time on Ellen recently on October 27
- Dave Crosby on the Voice
- Claire’s first viral video
- Unplugged performance of Dave & Claire with 250 million total online views on YouTube and Facebook
Rachelle Hrncirik began classical training at 16 and has taught voice lessons since 1999. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance from Brigham Young University. Rachelle has performed many leading roles in various operas, and sang with Brigham Young University Singers, performing in England, Jordan, Israel, and Carnegie Hall.
While living abroad in Prague, she sang for the President of the Czech Republic and other Czech and U.S. officials at a memorial service for victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. She has been a guest soloist for various performing groups and is currently a resident soloist for Seattle Ensign Symphony and Chorus
She has directed many choirs including a small international women’s choir in Prague, CZ. Rachelle resides in Issaquah, WA with her husband and four children.
Leah Espinoza is a pianist, composer, arranger and music coordinator in the greater Seattle area. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from Central Washington University where she had the honor to perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the CWU Symphony Orchestra. Since 2002, she has owned a music services business where she teaches music and performs professionally as both a soloist and accompanist. Notable contracted positions include a lobby pianist at 3rd & James in Downtown Seattle at just 16 years old and a recording artist for area museums during the 2009 centennial celebration of the Alaska Yukon Pacific Expedition. She specializes in understanding the powerful connection between music and the mind, body & spirit. Beyond music, she has degrees in Psychology and a Master’s in Business Administration. Leah is a wife and mother of three who resides in North Bend, WA.
Emily Leapai’s talent is her soulful voice: She is known for performing to portray emotion of the song to come through her voice. Performing with her will be Angela Hui, Brittany Schewendiman, and Jim Howton.
Jessica, a teenage vocalist talented beyond her age, is an unforgettable crowd favorite. She was a recent finalist in Newport Idol, starred Ursula in “The Little Mermaid.”
Alexia Luscher, violin, holds both Master and Bachelor of Music degrees in performance from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Her teachers include Robert Gerle, Jack Ashton, Hiroko Primrose, and Deborah Moench. She studied Suzuki violin pedagogy with Cathryn S. Lee. Alexia is a Unit 1 Teacher Trainer for Music Mind Games, receiving her training from author Michiko Yurko. For the last 8.5 years Alexia taught Suzuki violin, group, and MMG for Punahou School in Honolulu, HI. She coached the Hirano String Quartet, taught co-curricular chamber music classes, and K-1 MMG classes. As Vice-President of Suzuki Talent Education of Hawai’i, Alexia co-directed annual Suzuki Rocks! Spring Workshop. Before moving to Hawaii, Alexia taught Suzuki violin and MMG for the Levine School of Music in Arlington, VA. Alexia recently relocated to So. MD where she is building her Suzuki violin and MMG studio. She has taught at workshops and Institutes in CA, ID, HI, MA, and Shanghai, China.
Both Suzanna & Alexia will be accompanied by talented Sally Palmer.
Loralee Leavitt sings repertoire ranging from medieval chant to Broadway. Past performances include concerts with Cascadian Chorale and Ave Seattle. A ward organist, she also composes descants and hymn arrangements, which she posts at www.songsoftheheart.net. P
Seattle singing sensations, and father-daughter duo known as Claire & the Crosbys will perform Monday, December 4th at 7pm at the Bellevue Festival of the Nativity. Recently, daughter Claire and dad Dave Crosby performed for the 4th time on the Ellen Degeneres Show after Dave made a recent run on the Voice, and numerous viral videos on Youtube.
Claire and the Crosby family agreed without hesitation to perform free for this local Christmas venue. “We love the Festival of the Nativity. We go every year. We just love how beautiful it is and how it makes you feel when you walk in there and see everything,” says Dave Crosby.
Last year, after Claire’s videos were so popular on their Youtube channel, Dave says, “I thought [the Nativity] would be a really cool place to film our “Silent Night” video, so they were kind enough to let us do that, so it’s just something we’ve made a tradition of every year.” Across Facebook & Youtube, the video has received 3.2 million views.
Learn More
- Claire Performing Silent Night last year, filmed in Children’s room @ Bellevue Festival of the Nativity
- Crosby’s Performing 4th time on Ellen recently on October 27
- Dave Crosby on the Voice
- Claire’s first viral video
- Unplugged performance of Dave & Claire with 250 million total online views on YouTube and Facebook
Trevor Tsang, baritone, has loved singing for as long as he can remember and has been singing solos in church, school, and concert venues for more than 40 years. From an early age, he was exposed to excellent music . His mother, the church pianist, brought him to preparatory classes at the University of Cincinnati: College Conservatory of Music, one the nation’s top 5 music schools. Throughout his childhood he sang solos in church and in school musicals. But he developed a deep love and admiration for classical singing during his undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati. He also performed during his graduate studies at the University of Washington, and later with San Diego’s San Elijo Chorale. Currently, he sings with the Bellevue-based Cascadian Chorale, a select, auditioned chamber chorus. He also teaches voice and piano at his private studio.
Elaine Tsang, mezzo-soprano, has loved music since she was a young child. Comfortable in music of many genres, she participated in orchestra, band, and chorus. As a versatile singer, she sings jazz, pop, and rock, but has a special affinity for the beauty and technical demands of classical singing. In addition to singing in church choirs all her life, Elaine has directed church choirs off and on for the past twenty-five years. She also arranges music and plays the viola and piano. She currently sings with two auditioned groups, Cascadian Chorale, a Bellevue-based chamber chorus, and the Ensign Symphony and Chorus.
Susan Strick (harp, voice), Jan Bleakney (harp, flute), and Sharon Grabner (hammered dulcimer) have played Christmas music together for several years, drawing from Celtic, medieval, and modern repertoire, and are glad to include the Bellevue Festival of the Nativity event to their seasonal musical tradition.
Marion Edith Monson (11) is a sixth grader at Tillicum Middle School. Her favorite class by far is choir with Mrs. Meyering. She has been taking vocal lessons from Makenna Wagner for two years as well as playing piano for six. Outside of her musical activities she enjoys creating, reading, and little brother time. She is very grateful for her amazing big brother for always being willing to accompany and give advice.
Join the students of Halsey Holt and Melodie Gardner in celebrating the music of Christmas through five part string harmony. Students range from age 3-adult and have studied anywhere from 1-20 years.
James Monson (17) is a junior at Newport High School. He has been taking piano lessons since he turned five and most enjoys sight-reading and accompanying. He has had the honor to accompany the Tillicum choir for the past five years, the Newport choir for three, and the Seattle Ensign Youth Chorus for one, as well as various other solo performers and musicals. He plays viola in Newport’s Chamber Orchestra and the orchestra for the Messiah Sing-in. He loves music of all kinds, and enjoys making it whenever and wherever possible.
Chenda Larsen is an up and coming vocalist. She is currently a student of both Voice and Piano. She has been singing in front of groups for many years, and loves to share the sweet spirit that music can bring. She particularly loves singing jazz and classical music. She is very excited to share her love of music and the Savior at this most wonderful time of the year.
Alexia Luscher, violin, holds both Master and Bachelor of Music degrees in performance from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Her teachers include Robert Gerle, Jack Ashton, Hiroko Primrose, and Deborah Moench. She studied Suzuki violin pedagogy with Cathryn S. Lee. Alexia is a Unit 1 Teacher Trainer for Music Mind Games, receiving her training from author Michiko Yurko. For the last 8.5 years Alexia taught Suzuki violin, group, and MMG for Punahou School in Honolulu, HI. She coached the Hirano String Quartet, taught co-curricular chamber music classes, and K-1 MMG classes. As Vice-President of Suzuki Talent Education of Hawai’i, Alexia co-directed annual Suzuki Rocks! Spring Workshop. Before moving to Hawaii, Alexia taught Suzuki violin and MMG for the Levine School of Music in Arlington, VA. Alexia recently relocated to So. MD where she is building her Suzuki violin and MMG studio. She has taught at workshops and Institutes in CA, ID, HI, MA, and Shanghai, China.
Both Suzanna & Alexia will be accompanied by talented Sally Palmer.
A native of Northern Ireland, classical soprano Lyndsey Howell received her Bachelor of Music from Brigham Young University, where her operatic roles included the title role in Carmen, Drei Damen in Die Zauberflote, and Madame Pernelle in Tartuffe. She appeared as a featured soloist on the concert stage with the BYU symphony in Carmina Burana.
Ms. Howell sang with the BYU Singers, and can be heard on several recordings, including My Redeemer Liveth, and The Road Home. She has performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on their weekly broadcast “Music and the Spoken Word.”
Elise Anderson, just thirteen years old, has a substantial performance history, amazingly already spanning years. She loves singing and musical theater, having performed at Hale Center Theater, Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, and Draper Historic Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah. Some of her favorite roles include Young Cosette in Les Miserables, Young Fiona in Shrek, the Musical, Annie in Annie, and Marta Von Trapp in the Sound of Music. When she was only ten, she was asked to sing the National Anthem at the finals for the Miss Utah Pageant. She studied ballet in Utah and Washington and she is looking forward to continuing her music and dance study here in Seattle, having moved here just last year. When she is not singing, dancing, or acting, she likes hanging out with her friends, skiing, and photography.
The Highline Flute Ensemble is comprised of flutists from the South King County area. They have been established as a group for more than 10 years. They love to explore various genres of music to play on their flutes ranging from classical, sacred, jazz, ragtime and contemporary. Some of the members also have expanded their sound by playing the range of flutes in the flute family; bass flute, alto flute and piccolo. Several of the members also perform in local performance bands, including the Renton City Concert Band and the Seattle Wind Symphony.
Dale Green did not perform as a singer until well into his adult years. He studied under a local opera soprano who showed tremendous patience and care while teaching him the art of song, Jessie Coldren. He has been very active since then however, performing in numerous Community Theater Productions for over 20 years as both leads as well as in the chorus. This has taken him from Gilbert & Sullivan to Dickens to early 40’s musicals all with their own charm and challenges and rewards. Lately he has been very active in the Seattle Ensign Chorus as a 1st Tenor performing many concerts at Benaroya Hall which has brought him many hours of delight and joy. It is with great humility that Dale returns to perform in the Festival of the Nativities to worship our Lord Jesus in song. Hopefully, you will feel the spirit of the music as well.
Accompanist: the exceptional Kathryn Stapley
Kimberly Bell received her BM in Flute Performance from the Eastman School of Music and her MM from Northwestern University. She has performed with many orchestras throughout the Seattle and Los Angeles areas and has enjoyed teaching flute privately and for the Palos Verdes School District. She lives in Bellevue with her husband and three children.
Accompanist Sally Palmer is the owner of Sally L. Palmer Music Studio in Bellevue, where she teaches private piano and voice lessons, and provide contractual piano accompaniment. She has been teaching for approximately 35 years and accompanying for 45 years. She is a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs, Music Teachers National Association, and the National Association of Teachers of Singers.
Sally Palmer is the owner of Sally L. Palmer Music Studio in Bellevue, where she teaches private piano and voice lessons, and provides contractual piano accompaniment. She has been teaching for approximately 35 years and accompanying for 45 years. She is a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs, Music Teachers National Association, and the National Association of Teachers of Singers.
Michael, Lora and Keala Pinpin are all skilled piano performers. They have been playing piano since they were 6 and performing in and outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They also actively participate in the Washington Federation of Music Clubs. Michael and Lora also play violin. They are delighted to perform at the Bellevue Festival of Nativities with Sheri Plowman who is a very talented pianist and teacher.
Rose V. Johnson, is a member of the Pacific Sound Wind Quintet, acts as Principal Flute of the Ensign Symphony and the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, collaborates on a variety of ensemble work, and has been a member of the National Flute Association’s Professional Flute Choir in 2008, and 2010-2016. She has performed in solo and collaborative events in Utah, Washington, Arizona and Texas. Rose earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Northern Arizona University and Master of Music degree from University of Washington. Recipient of the Seattle Flute Society’s Weeping Willow Teacher’s Grant (2014), Rose maintains a teaching studio, conducts a student flute choir, adjudicates, and has coached with the Seattle Youth Symphony’s Marrowstone-in-the-City Summer Music program, the Evergreen Philharmonic and the Bellevue Youth Symphony. Rose is on the board of Silver Flight Ensembles, a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the development of young flutists, teachers and composers. Rose lives with her engineer husband, Travis, in beautiful Sammamish, Washington. She is a proud mother of a violinist daughter and Lego-loving son.
The seven members of the Michael Bateman clan have been caroling a capella in 4-part harmony since the oldest children were in grade school. From their first song, “Carol of the Bells” to the most recent “Jesu Thou Son Most Sweet and Dear” each song they add to their repertoire represents the most hauntingly beautiful Christmas music they can find. This year the family is down to five, but they still manage to add a touch of cello, violin, and a capella to the mix.